


Misery Love Me

by AtBashTheMighty



Category: Gotham (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Ed isn't lee's lap dog, Edward Nygma is a little bitch, I just love The Killers, Jealous Edward Nygma, M/M, Martin Ships Oswald Cobblepot/Edward Nygma, Oswald Cobblepot Adopts Martin, Parent Oswald Cobblepot, Pining Edward Nygma, Post-Episode: s04e15 The Sinking Ship the Grand Applause, he just wants best for his son, i took canon and shot it out back, lots of references to the album Hot Fuss
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-09
Updated: 2021-03-09
Packaged: 2021-03-14 15:01:33
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,873
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29297820
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AtBashTheMighty/pseuds/AtBashTheMighty
Summary: After the events of the death of Sofia Falcone, Oswald leaves Gotham and hides out with an old friend who lives in Baltimore while Jerome's plans unfold before Gotham. When Ed realizes Oswald is gone he goes after him.
Relationships: Edward Nygma & Leslie Thompkins, Oswald Cobblepot & Martin, Oswald Cobblepot/Edward Nygma, Oswald Cobblepot/Original Male Character(s)
Comments: 13
Kudos: 58





	1. These Words are All I Have so I'll Write Them

**Author's Note:**

> More bullshit? More bullshit.
> 
> Also I head canon Gotham to be on the Coast of New Jersey in case anyone is confused on that part of geography.

_Dear Starrs,_

_I know we haven’t spoken for quite some time, but unfortunately, I am reaching out to every ally I have at the moment. By the return address you know where I’ve ended up, sadly I had been framed. Falcone’s daughter returned to Gotham and toyed with me, you understand how. Now I’m stuck here, at the whims of some murderous clown who took it upon himself torture me through acts of violence for his entertainment._ ~~_All I want is god to strike me dead at this point._ ~~ _I know you live out of Gotham nowadays but that’s what I need, once I get my son back I need a place to lay low for a while, something bad is coming. Of course, I’ll pay you, handsomely if you agree._

_Your old friend,_

_Oswald_

**____________________________**

Martin didn’t know what had gotten into his adopted father. He had been in a rush since Martin had been brought back to him. Running around town like he was a chicken that got his head chopped off. Going to the bank, then going to a retail store where he bought 2 large suitcases and shoved them into the back seat of the car.  


Martin clutching the door as Oswald weaved through the streets.

Of course, he was happy to spend time with his father after being under the watch of Sofia’s henchmen. But he could tell his father was tired, Oswald’s eyes having bags big enough to carry bleach.

The busy urban hellscape that was the city soon filtered out to trees before pulling up back at the Manor. Oswald hobbled out the front seat quickly before motioning for Martin to follow, circling around the back of the car.

He did, scribbling on the sketch pad around his neck and holding it up to his dad.

_ What’s going on? Are we leaving? _

The former king of Gotham knelt down on his good knee into the gravel driveway so they were eye to eye.

“I know you’re confused Martin and I promise to explain later but right now I need you to take this suitcase and go to your room and pack as many clothes as you can into it, get anything you’ll miss and meet me here in 45 minutes. Can you do that for me?”

Martin vigorously nodded, taking the large suitcase from his father’s hands and scurrying into the house as fast as he could.

Oswald grunted as he rose back to his feet and limped into the manor to pack his bags and say goodbye.  _ For now. _

He wouldn’t have any part in what Valeska was planning, no matter what that clown was actually planning. 

Oswald made his way to his room grabbing blankets, towels, necessities, anything they’d miss in their time away from Gotham and haphazardly throwing it into bags. While also folding his clothes into his suitcase as quickly as he could, who knows how much time they actually had. Maybe forty-five minutes was pushing it. Alas, he continued as quickly as he could, grabbing food on the way out so they didn’t have to stop for dinner. 

Passing by his desk he started rubbishing through, gathering all-important documents he’d need. Shoving the pens into his purple coat pocket before feeling the crinkle of paper. Digging out the source.

A paper made a penguin.

The one Edward had given to him at Arkham.

Maybe he should leave him something.

No! There was no time.

But.

A letter?

Perhaps.

So he’d know where to look if he needed Oswald.

_ Fat chance _ .

He bit off one of the pen caps and started writing, finishing before hightailing it to the car where Martin was struggling to get his suitcase into the trunk.

“Thank you,” Oswald was out of breath “for doing what I asked.”

Martin smiled.

“Here you get in the front, I’ll take care of it. We have one more place to go before we can leave.” the boy nodded and followed his dad’s instructions.

The drive to through narrows was easy, Oswald knew the neighborhood like the back of his hand from childhood. The streets looked cleaner since Doctor Thompkins had taken over. 

“Wait, here. I’ll only be a few minutes.” He told Martin before getting out of the car.

Entering the Narrows court Oswald held his hand up with the envelope and the other on his cane.

“Oswald” Lee was quick to get her gun from the desk.

“Relax, I come in peace.” Oswald stated completely unbothered that he was staring at the barrel of her gun.

“Hmm” She narrowed her eyes on him, her hand unwavering.

Oswald looked around the Queen’s court, searching for the man clad in green, “I know but! I’m leaving, deliver this to Ed when he wonders, would you?” he set the the envelope on the desk hands still in the air.

Her eyes widened, definitely not the explanation she was expecting. “You’re leaving? Why-?” 

“It’s a long story,” He said curtly, putting up his hand to get her to stop talking. “One I don’t have time to tell, unfortunately.”

Lee looked at him incredulously. She didn’t believe him of course but Oswald wasn’t looking for her to. 

“Just give it to him later, I have a child waiting in the car.” 

“Why leave anything? I assume you want to disappear from the city entirely,”

“After everything, it’s the least I could do.” His tone was far off in the distance as he refused to look at her, “Goodbye Doctor Thompkins.” 

  
  


**____________________________**

_Dear Oswald,_

_It has been a while since we lasted talk, I can see you went ahead with the over-throwing of Fish. I’m sorry to hear you ended up in the looney bin. What did tell you all those years ago, hm? That you always have a plan A to Z. Did you at least have some suspicion that she was toying with you? It’s ominous of you to say something bad is coming, but I imagine that the orderlies read these letters so I’m not too surprised. Also, cheer up Os! suicidal ideation has never looked good on you._

_Keep your money, you have a safe haven in the comfort of my home down here in Baltimore once you have your son back. There is enough space for both of you here._

_With warm regards your old friend,_

_Starrs_

**______________**

  
The road stretched as far as Martin’s eye could see, up into the clouds and over the countless hills. Oswald hadn’t explained as he promised but the small boy didn’t think now was the right time to ask, considering his dad’s hands had a death grip over the steering wheel and the constant getting off and on the highway. Instead, he turned his head to look out the window watching the trees go by in a blur as the sun started setting, counting the mile marks that seemed to go on forever. He wondered where they were going, he saw the state sign for Pennsylvania almost an hour ago. His eyelids slowly becoming droopy, paying attention to the trees became harder the further they went along.

Martin ended up slumped over the car door breathing softly as Oswald continued driving into the black night. Oswald at one point pulled over into a gas station parking lot in the middle of nowhere to unravel Martin from his seat belt so he wouldn’t choke, draping him with the blue cotton blanket he had put in the back in case either of them got cold on the drive. Getting gas so they wouldn’t have to stop again and also the shitty coffee from the convenience store. Deciding to gorge on pork rinds in the store, casting side glances to the midnight clerk who didn’t get paid enough to care. 

Settling back in the front seat, pausing before he turned the keys. What was he doing? Awfully cowardly of him to run, even if Valeska terrified him. The former king looked over to his side where the sleeping Martin lied. It was different before though, he was alone. Utterly alone.  _ A man with nothing that he loves is a man who can not be bargained with _ . Oswald could almost hear Ed’s words echo in the sound chamber that was the car.  _ Love is a sacrifice _ .

Oswald sighed, letting out a self-deprecating laugh. It had been almost two years since he’d met Edward in those woods. The dread sank in thinking about his time as mayor. Unable to not be selfish for Ed sake until it was too late, if anything Ed deserved to hate him. Even after their recent encounter at the pier, Oswald  _ understood _ . 

After all, it's only fair. He doubts the Riddler will even miss him.

“At least I have you.” Oswald ruffled his son’s hair, Martin shifted in the passenger seat in response to being bothered in his sleep.

He turned the keys pulled back into the road. Turning his back and leaving.

**____________**

_Dear_ ~~_Starrs_ ~~ **_Nightshade_ ** _,_

_If anything that I gained from Fish, Falcone, or Maroni is that well-placed paranoia is healthy in this city, so of course I questioned her intentions from the beginning._ _I am not a moron_ _. For your generous offer to house us I can not thank you enough. Something tells me I’ll be with you sooner than I expected._

_See you soon,_

_Oswald_


	2. Drink up, It's Last Call Last Resort

The invitation for brunch from Jerome was a surprise. Lee agreeing to it was an even bigger surprise.

“You know this is a trap right?”

“I am aware that it might be.” she fixed her hair in the pull-down mirror. 

“Good, you know how terrible of an idea this is,”

“And yet you’re the one driving.”

“This is the place.” Edward had pulled up to an overgrown manor that wasn’t too far from the dwellings of a certain Cobblepot. The ivy on this one had grown to be most of the wall and front. Ed got out of the car and attempted to unwrinkle his green suit.

Lee knocked on the door, a moment later was greeted by a man with frizzled hair wearing a dress coat over an Arkham uniform motioning them to come into the house before being led to a dining room set up with Victor Fries on one side and Firefly on the other. Tetch nowhere to be seen and Crane seated near the end of the table. 

_ Lovely. _

Jerome gave them his signature creepy grin with his mutilated face and gestured for them to at the two empty seats to his right.

Ed had a very  _ bad _ feeling about this.

“Hear ye, Hear ye, I’d like to officially welcome you all to our first-ever mandatory brunch meeting.” The clown raised his glass up, making eye contact with everyone at the table and the Arkham escapees made their way around the table. “Now I know what you’re all thinking,”

Edward let out a breath as one of the servers dropped a sausage onto his plate.

“Why have I gathered this-,” The clown paused, assumedly to find the words. “-Legion of Horribles. That has a nice ring to it, write that down will you?” Jerome looked to the escapees.

One of the servers patted around his uniform for a pen. 

“Well back when I was in Arkham I came up with a plan to turn this city into a madhouse. Now I’m on the  _ cusp _ of making that happen.” Freeze raised his hand.“Put all questions on ice until the end.  _ Danke schön. _ ”

“Woefully, our friend Mr. Oswald decided to skip town. So I’ve brought in the delightful Lee Thompkins and her lap dog Mr. Nygma.” they all looked over to Lee and him.

Ed didn’t bother addressing the insult Valeska had abhorred on him. Oswald  _ leaving _ Gotham? That didn’t even sound right in Edward’s head. But he hadn’t heard anything about the Penguin since when he saved him at that god-awful pier.

That was a month and a half ago.

“Hopefully with Lee, she can make sure that Jimbo doesn’t get too close to what we’re planning.”

Where could he even have gone? He didn’t have any assets outside of Gotham except a few offshore accounts as far as Ed knew, but he didn’t have any house or apartment to run to. Then again Ed hadn’t been Oswald’s Chief of Staff in almost a year. 

“Of course.” He heard Lee say but he hadn’t been paying attention to the conversation, only zoning back in for important parts, like Jerome asking Fries to get a lab or how Crane’s new toxin gas was coming along. 

  
  
  


The next few days were a blur, he learned how to fly a blimp by the seat of his pants, Jerome ended up dying but not before he tried killing Bruce Wayne on Live television. Mechanisms, gears, robbing banks, and other plans, unexpectedly even the riddle factory couldn’t keep his mind from wondering where Oswald went. 

His curiosity getting so bad he went back to the manor to see if there was any semblance of life there and any trace of his old feathered friend.

There wasn’t. The whole thing looked ransacked, papers in the hallway, food taken from the cupboard, beds unmade, blankets taken, there was no sign of Olga anywhere either. Nothing looked how Oswald would’ve kept it.

The panic finally, settling in Edward’s chest, blooming like mold on bread from the back of his lungs. If Oswald wasn’t here, where was he? Oswald had hideouts in Gotham but he wouldn’t have left the manor so unattended like this.

If Jerome was right and Oswald wasn’t in Gotham, what would Ed do? He had the riddle factory but that probably would fizzle out even with the grotesque violence. He already lived without Oswald before and he couldn’t handle it. The days zoned out on amphetamines and one particular hallucination showed him that.

After all, there was no Ed Nygma without the Penguin. He _ was _ right. No matter how painful it is to admit it.

Ed never thought in a million years Oswald would leave the city. He didn’t leave when he got the chance before, why now of all times?

No. 

There  _ had _ to be something here that could tell him where Oswald went. Records, records were in the office. He ran to the office. Ripping apart drawers, cabinets, _ anything _ to tell him where the penguin went. Even the safe behind one of the painting’s that Oswald thought he didn't know about.  _ All useless _

His stomach turned and the room began to spin.

_ Where was Oswald? _

Why would he leave? Right when they were finally back on speaking terms. He thought.  _ He thought _ they could mend things.

He had said that he’d never forgive Oswald but now with the reality that he may never get the chance to was weighing heavily in Ed’s mind.

His mouth was unbearably dry and forced to spit the saliva out. Bile rising up his throat, he felt like was going to vomit. 

  
  


Running so quickly to the bathroom he smashed into a wall when he tried to turn into the hallway. Probably going to leave a bruise.

Dumping that morning’s breakfast into the porcelain bowl. 

Black slowly fading his vision as he saw the wall bleed and blur, he heard laughter but he couldn't care, he felt so exhausted. 

_______

“ _ Why are you sitting all alone?” _

_ “Maybe to be away from the other patrons” Oswald didn’t even look at the other man too busy engrossed in paperwork to care. _

_ “Do mind if I sit with you?” The assassin sat not even bothering for Oswald to answer, why did he even bother.  _

_ “Whom do I owe the pleasure of company?” the umbrella boy finally looked to see who decided to grace him with their bothering presence.  _

_ To his surprise, it had been one of Fish Mooney’s assassins. He was about a little less than a foot taller than Oswald with a lean build, having black hair that was longer on top and shaved on the sides and slicked back to the best of its ability, strands falling to the side of his face. He had been in the club before, usually after a contract kill, and was there to collect his pay. Though tonight he was in a much more casual outfit than his normal assassin wear, a black denim vest, showing off-sleeve tattoos that went up to his neck with black jeans and combat boots.  _

_ Very attractive by Oswald’s standards.  _

_ “Nightshade, or if you’re friendly,” he tilted his head and smiled. “Starrs.” _

_ “Well, Nightshade, Can I buy you a drink?” _

_ “Only if you say please.” _

_ Oswald rolled his eyes and started to gather his stuff, his company already getting on his fragile nerves. _

_ “Wait, I’m sorry.” The stranger grabbed his wrist. “I’ll pay for your drink. I take you as a wine guy, am I correct?” _

_ “So what if I am?” Oswald yanked his hand out of the assassin’s grip. Nightshade motioned to the bartender. _

_ “A red for the gentleman” The taller man winked and pointed to Oswald. “and a bloody mary with 3 shots for me.” _

_ The bartender pulled out a wine glass and began to pour, sliding the glass gently to where Oswald sat at the bar.  _

_ “Why aren’t you with your fellow assassins? I’ve seen you here before, don't you have a pack you travel with?” _

_ “We aren’t that close.” The tall man smiled, teeth in perfect rows of pearly whites that almost clashed with his ensemble of black. “Colleagues maybe, but I’d rather not spend more time around them than I have to.” _

_ “Why not? If you don’t mind me asking.” _

_ “I’m just in it for the money, the people I work with are doing it for fun” Starrs shrugged. “There’s nothing wrong with that but I feel like we don’t match.” _

_ Oswald nodded drinking out of his wine glass. It was odd of the man to be openly honest. You didn’t see that a lot in this city. _

_ “What about you? There has to be a reason you’re at Mooney’s after dark.” _

_ “I’m her umbrella boy.” _

_ “Ah, how-” He paused, looking over his shoulder for anyone behind him. “pleasant” He gave a forced smile. _

_ “Quite,” Oswald’s lips turned up into a little amused smirk. “Regrettably, it means I stay here late and get here early in the morning.” _

_ “Are you off now? You took the wine I ordered for you. I imagine Miss Mooney doesn’t like her umbrella boys intoxicated on the job.” _

_ “And If I am?” the shorter man eyed him suspiciously, What would his mother think if he ran off with strange men into the night? _

_ This was Gotham, all the men were strange. _

_ “I’d ask if you wanted to get out of here.” The assassin extended one of his gloved hands to Oswald.  _

_ He took it. _

________________

The Riddler woke back up at the Queen’s court back in the narrows. Lee was on the other side of the room looking through papers at her desk. He sat up groaning at the pounding pain at the front of his head.

“Headache?”

“Yeah.”

“You're lucky I was in the neighborhood, who knows how long you would’ve been passed out.”

“You were following me?” Anger rising in his voice. “I’m not a child Lee!”

“I know you’re not,” She sighed, Ed might as well be acting like a child to her. “But I’m worried about you Ed. You’ve been losing interest in a lot of things lately.”

He scoffed. “Like what?” Sure he hasn’t done any scheming as of late but he has been busy; crazy clown men terrorizing the city does that.

“Like the Riddle Factory. You haven’t had an event there in weeks. Not to mention that you half-assed the bank heists we did last week.”

“Don’t pretend you didn’t Ed. I’ve seen your best work and that was not it.”

“What’s going on, Ed? You seemed distracted lately.”

Ed let out a forlorn sigh, he could trust Lee. She had no ill intentions. Except when she tried to suppress half of him for her own gain. Promptly ignoring that she had shown she genuinely cared about him. 

“Oswald is gone.” Lee nodded in understanding. “Jerome was right.”

“So you went to the Van Dahl manor to see for yourself,” she concluded.

“It was a mess, Lee! Oswald wouldn’t let that happen if he was still here!” Ed got up from the cot and started to pace around the room gesturing wildly. “Even if he was just in a hideout, he wouldn’t leave the manor to  _ rot _ like that. It looked like nobody had been there for months!”

He turned around to Lee for her response, but she was looking at her hands in her lap nervously. That wasn’t good.

“I’ve got something to give you.” she pulled out one of the drawers on her desk and rummaged out a black envelope.

“Oswald gave it to me the day he skipped town in a hurry, said it was a long story and that I should give it to you when you started to wonder where he went.”

“You kept this from me?!”

“I was following his instructions, Ed.” He snatched the letter from her hands and ripped open the envelope. He skimmed quickly the beginning of each sentence spelled out an address for  _ 3536 Roland ave. Balt _ . Not the most clever thing Oswald had done but it got the job done he guessed, Lee said he  _ was _ in a hurry.

“He’s in Baltimore. Why on earth would he be in Baltimore?”

“Maybe he’s got family there.”

“No, his mother and father were the only family in the U.S.”

“I guess you’ll never know.” She said dismissively. Ed looked at her with an eyebrow raised disbelievingly. “You’re not going to go after him are you?”

“Maybe I am.”

Lee sighed and went back to her desk, already knowing she couldn’t convince Ed otherwise. While the Riddler went to the apartment above to pack presumably. 

  
  
  


  
_____________________

_ Oswald didn’t know what to expect the first time he was invited to the assassin’s apartment. Mutilated bodies lining the place like Dahmer? Perhaps, but Starrs wasn’t the kinda guy that usually takes souvenirs, he seemed to know better than that.  _

_ The assassin apartment had been located in uptown so it was better than the narrows Oswald supposed. Still, the people of uptown just knew how to hide the strangeness behind closed doors instead of in the open. _

_ He looked at the piece of paper given to him, 1038 Flint St. apt.36. This was the place. He rang the bell and was immediately let in.  _

_ It was nicer than he expected. Seeming to be a two-bedroom apartment with a small kitchen. There was a small couch in the living room with roses shaped into an arch pattern above it, a coffee table between the couch, and a TV on a stand against the wall. Most of the surfaces had stacks of records along with a shelf filled to the brim with vinyl. Looked like the beginning of a hoarding problem, either or he had a really big collection he didn’t know what to do with.  _

_ Oswald made a note to suggest another shelf to him. _

_ “Mind the records, I’m waiting till my next paycheck to buy a shelf.”  _

_ ah. _

_ “You know, I never asked you how you got the name, Starrs.” He asked as he looked around the apartment.  _

_ “It was my mom’s nickname for me. My actual name is Andrew,” He pulled a light cerulean blue album from his record shelf with big letters The Killers Hot Fuss. “When I was younger we’d listen to The Killers when my dad was out, they have a song called Andy You’re a Star, it just kinda stuck.” _

_ “And Nightshade?” he sat on the couch. _

_ “That was one I got to pick, the belladonna or more commonly referred to as Deadly Nightshade is my favorite flower, and well if you get to pick a name why don’t do something cool. I’m good at my job so no one really questions it either.” _

_ “It’s a lot better than the sobriquet I get called by,” Oswald said with twinges of sadness at the edge of his voice. He had gotten used to name-calling when he was in school but still hurt. _

_ “What do you get called by?” _

_ “Birds, different types of birds, predominantly Penguin among them.” _

_ “Well lucky for you, I happen to like birds as company.” _

_ “I love birds, I used to read books upon books about them and their anatomy and migration patterns when I was younger, but god cursed me with the appearance of one and this city is unforgiving.” _

_ “True, but I think you look good. you just gotta own it, my friend.” _

_ “Easy enough for you to say. God was in a good mood when he made you.” _

_ “Why, Oswald are you calling me pretty?” Starrs put a hand to his chest in false melodrama. _

_ Oswald turned a violent shade of red at the assassin’s implantation. “Shut up, or I’ll pluck your teeth out.”  _

_ Starrs let out a cackle before putting the record back and crashed down next to the umbrella boy on the couch. _

_ “I know my apartment is unabashedly boring, but I’m not usually here. Do you wanna watch a movie or something? That's something that friends do right?” _

_ “I’m not the right person to ask.” _

_ “Yeah, I’ve got the original star wars trilogy on VHS, that is if you want to watch it.” _

_ “I’ve never seen it.” _

_ “Well, that settles it then. We’re watching them. Are you a popcorn or candy guy for your movies?” _

  
  


_________________

Ed could fully admit this was a bad idea, going after Oswald. God knows what will happen when he’s gone in this city.

More than anything he wanted his best friend back, even if it was just at arm's length, he could admit that sitting on his bed wondering what clothes to pack.

Hopefully, this was a step in the right direction.

He hoped so.

________________________

  
  


Oswald sighed when flopped down into the lawn chair across from Starrs that overlooked the backyard. It was cold like winter anywhere, Oswald took to wearing some sort of layers even if he was indoors. The ex-assassin was smoking a cigarette, looking out into the yard playing chords on his guitar softly.

“How’s Martin?” Starrs asked looking over to the Penguin. He could see his breath in the cold, the lights from the house helped to illuminate it more. Oswald heard it was supposed to snow later.

“He’s still getting adjusted, the school wanted to put him in a disability class because of his mutism. I had to put my foot down and said he was excelling in the classes he was in and if anything he should be put in an accelerated course. And if they didn’t I’d cut their throats”

“You didn’t actually say that last part did you?” the man’s tone was teasing, but not enough arrogance to put off the former kingpin anymore.

“No, but I thought about it.” Oswald huffed, the other man chuckled at his petulance. “If I did say that, the whole staying low charade would’ve gone up in smoke.”

Starrs offered him a cigarette from his carton as his little bit of irony, Oswald accepted it, reaching over and putting it in his mouth before the taller man lit it with his yellow lighter.

He hadn’t had a cigarette in years, quitting when he started to work closely with Fish. It was comforting in a way, knowing that the dull ache of his lungs filling with ash was still there. Letting out a smoke ring like when he was sixteen and when he was still living in the narrows with his mother. 

“We could always go to ASL classes with him if the teachers are so concerned with having a mute kid in their classes.” Oswald nodded in agreement. “Besides we can’t let people know that the nefarious Penguin is being housed somewhere in the desolate maze of Baltimore.”

“Baltimore isn’t desolate, someone forgets what it’s like to be in Gotham.” 

“And you couldn’t pay me enough to go back.” Starrs smiled at him.

“All Gotham taught me is how to suffer.” Oswald lamented after a moment. “Mostly my fault though.”

“Well, you haven’t lost me.” Starrs gently patted the criminal on the shoulder.

“I appreciate the company, old friend.”

They settled into a comfortable silence. Oswald listened to the sounds of Starrs’s guitar, looking up into the vast sky, wondering if fate actually existed for the thousandth time in the last few months. He knew never to trust anything that came easy, but Starrs had made no indication that he was planning anything behind Oswald’s back. Making dinner when Oswald was too in pain to do anything but lay on the couch, even going as far as to help Martin with schoolwork sometimes. Then again, so did Sofia. So did _ Ed _ . But Starrs had nothing to gain if he killed him here, no empire to give over, no city to take. Maybe he really was Oswald’s friend, even after all these years of lost contact.

“Thank you, Starrs.”

“For what?” 

“Everything.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> anyways, feel free to comment if you'd like. Constructive criticism is always welcome and appreciated.


End file.
